Cocking device for self-loading firearms



Sept. 13, 1955 R. RAMSEYER COCKING DEVICE FOR SELF-LOADING FIREARMS Filed April 5, 1951 A Tran/var United States Patent COCKING DEVICE FOR SELF-LOADING Robert Ramseyer, Geneva, Switzerland, assignor to the Society Brevets Aero-Mecaniques, S. A., Geneva, Switzerland, 'a society of Switzerland Application April 5, 1951, Serial No. 219,358 Claims priority, application Lux'emburg April 15,1950

. 2 Claims. :(CL. 89-1) The present invention relates to self-loading firearms th'ebreechb'lock of which'has a toand .fro longitudinal movement every time a round is fired and must, in order to be cocked, for instance in case of misfire, be pulled back against the action of an elastic system by means of a device operable by the gunner (the expression self-loading firearms including, in what follows, either semi-automatic firearms which are automatically reloaded but require a separate trigger pull for every round, or automatic firearms which fire bursts, or again-double operation firearms capable. of working either in semi-automatic or .in fully automatic fashion). My invention-is especially concerned with: automatic firearms (in particular for use on aircraft) mounted slidable on a support-:(rnount, cradle, aircraft framework, etc.) which does not participate in thefirearm recoil movement which takesplace-after the firing of each shot. and=in which the cocking device is rigid with said support.

The chief objectof my invention is to'provide a firearm oi .thislkind which is better :adaptedto meettherequirements of practice than those used up to this time.

zin'lsuch firearms, the oockingudevrice includes aesliding member guided longitudinally .in a casing mounted :adjacent to said breech block, said sliding member and said breech block including respective abutment parts adapted to bear against each other, when said sliding member is moved rearwardly with respect to said breech case, to drive said breech block rearwardly therewith.

Now, according to my invention, at least one of said parts is adjustable with respect to the element (to wit either the sliding member or the breech block) to which it belongs, so as to make it possible to prevent said parts from cooperating with each other, whereby the firearm together with its breech block can be slipped frontwardly away from said cocking device.

A preferred embodiment of my invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying draw- 0 ings, given merely by way of example and in which:

Fig. l diagrammatically shows in horizontal section with parts removed and parts cut away, an automatic firearm mounted on a fixed support and fitted with a cocking device carried by said support, this structure being made according to my invention.

Fig. 2 shows the cocking device of this firearm in active position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line III--III of Fig. 2.

The firearm, as a whole and with the exception of its cocking device, is, for instance, of the usual construction, including a breech block I mounted to recoil, against the action of a recuperator spring 2, in a breech case 3, itself mounted slidable on a fixed support S with the interposition of a butter 4 capable of absorbing the recoil energy and of returning the whole of the firearm into firing position.

The cocking device is mounted on support S and includes a casing 5 acting as a guide or slideway for a sliding piece 6 adapted to be pulled rearwardly by means of a cable 7, against the action of a return system consti- I participate in this backward movement.

2,717,532 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 tuted for instance by a spring 8, said sliding member 6 supporting an abutment part, such as a catch 9, adapted to engage, during the recoil stroke of sliding member 6,, an abutment part ill belonging to breech block 1 and projecting, through a slot 3a, to the outside of the breech case across the path of travel of catch 9.

It will be readily understood that ifno special arrangement were provided, it would be necessary, in order to extract the firearm proper from its support S (which operation implies pulling the firearm frontwardly) first to separate the breech mechanism from the firearm, as otherwise part it would come into engagement with catch piece 9, and would prevent withdrawal of the firearm.

in order to remedy this drawback and according to-my invention, one of the two abutment parts above mentioned must be made retractable or otherwise adjustable sot hat, when said projection is retracted or properly adjusted, the firearm can be removed from support S without requiring removal of its breech mechanism.

.Although the retractable :or adjustable part might be piece It) carried by the breech block, it seems-preferable, for constructional reasons, to leave said partconstantly in active position and to make catch member '9 retractable.

"Preferably, the arrangement is such that the-firearm can be disengaged without requiring a special operation to retract the catch '9. For this purpose, as shown, said catch 9 is automatically retractedwhen sliding member 6 is in its front .end position and comes into active position, under the action of a return system, preferably at the beginning of the rearward movement of said sliding member and, anyway, before catch 9 reaches abutment part 1'0 (supposedto bein front end position). i I I According to the embodiment illustrated by the drawing, catch *9 is pivotally mounted on sliding member :6 (about :a pivot axis 11) located near theifrontofisaidisliding member. Said catch :is :urged toward active position by areturln spring 12. s 1

Anabutment "13, rigid with :supportS, prevents catch-'9 from coming into active position (through a slot s provided in support S) as long as sliding member 6 has not moved backward a distance sufficient for freeing said catch from the action of said abutment. However, spring 12 returns catch 9 into active position before it comes opposite abutment part 19.

This cocking device works as follows:

At rest, the breech being closed, sliding member 6 is kept in its front end position by return spring 8 (position shown by Fig. l). Abutment 13 holds catch 9 in retracted position and it is possible to move the firearm away from support S without abutment part 10 coming into contact with said catch 9. When the firearm is to be cocked, cable 7 is pulled to move sliding member rearwardly, thus gradually releasing catch 9 from the action of abutment 13 which, being rigid with support S, does not Said catch then comes into active position, engaging abutment part 10 and driving breech block 1 rearwardly (position shown by Fig. 2) against the action of its recuperator spring 2.

In a general manner, While I have, in the above description, disclosed what I deem to be practical and efficient embodiment of my invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

l. In combination, a fixed support, a firearm including a breech case, means for mounting said breech case in said support for removal therefrom only by sliding in a frontward direction with respect to said support, a breech block reciprocable longitudinally in said breech case and an abutment part rigid with said breech block and projecting transversely therefrom, and a cocking device including a casing rigid with said support and mounted adjacent to said breech case, a sliding element guided longitudinally in said casing, a catch carried by said sliding element so as to project transversely from said casing to engage said abutment part when said sliding element is moved rear- Wardly in said casing whereby said breech block is driven rearwardly by said sliding element moving rearwardly, means for movably mounting said catch on said sliding element for retraction at least partially into said sliding element transversely out of the path of travel of said abutment part, to make it possible to remove the firearm from said support by pulling it frontwardly, elastic means for urging said sliding element toward the front of said casing, cooperating camming means carried by said casing and said catch for retracting and retaining said catch out of the path of movement of said abutment part when said sliding element is driven to its frontmost position by said elastic means, said catch being released from the influence of said retaining action upon movement of the sliding element in the rearward direction, and means for moving said catch into the path of travel of said abutment part for engagement therewith upon movement of said sliding element in the rearward direction.

2. In combination, a fixed support, a firearm including a breech case, means for mounting said breech case in said support for removal therefrom only by sliding in a frontward direction with respect to said support, a breech block reciprocable longitudinally in said breech case and an abutment part rigid with said breech block and projecting transversely therefrom, and a cocking device including a casing rigid with said support and mounted adjacent to said breech case, a sliding element guided longitudinally in said casing, a catch carried by said sliding element so as to project transversely from said casing to engage said abutment part when said sliding element is moved rearwardly in said casing whereby said breech block is driven rearwardly by said sliding element moving rearwardly, means for movably mounting said catch on said sliding element for retraction at least partially into said sliding element transversely out of the path of travel of said abutment part, to make it possible to remove the firearm from said support by pulling it frontwardly, elastic means for urging said sliding element toward the front of said casing, cooperating means carried by said casing and said sliding element for retracting and retaining said catch out of the path of movement of said abutment part when said sliding element is driven to its frontmost position by said elastic means, said catch being released from the influence of said retaining action upon movement of the sliding element in the rearward direction, and means for moving said catch into the path of travel of said abutment part for engagement therewith upon movement of said sliding element in the rearward direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,926,816 Podrabsky Sept. 12, 1933 2,179,914 Birkigt Nov. 14, 1939 2,329,925 Mejean Sept. 21, 1943 2,406,461 Hammell Aug. 27, 1946 2,408,110 Thresh Sept. 24, 1946 2,431,079 Richey Nov. 18, 1947 2,451,614 Darsie Oct. 19, 1948 2,488,630 Knowlton Nov. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,833 Great Britain of 1884 131,131 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1929 411,344 Germany June 7, 1934 436,198 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1934 445,213 Great Britain Apr. 6, 1936 675,861 Germany May 19, 1939 121,374 Sweden Apr. 6, 1948 OTHER REFERENCES viation Magazine, October 1945, pages 115, 117, 118.

Article on De Havilland Mosquito F11 (Fight), Flight Magazine, May 6, 1943 (2 pages). 

